Grain-tight closure for box-cars.



I. NIELCIIER.

GRAIN TIGHT CLOSURE FOR BOX CARS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-7.1915.

Patented Jan. 8,1918.

W I /37 A 0 '7 f ik f eff Mik/7655.85"

IRVING MELCHER, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

` GRAIN-TIGHT CLOSUR'E FOR BOX-CARS.

Application led August '7, 1915.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, IRVING MELCHER, a subject of the Emperor of Austria, residing at Minn-eapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grainrlight Closures for Box-(lars, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to grain-tight closures for box cars, and has for its object to provide, in conjunction with an ordinary box car door and opening, an auxiliary door or closure which will permit the box car to be used for grain and like substances shipped in bulk, and which door may be swung aside to allow the car to be used for furniture and other commodities not requiring a tight closure.

The full objects and advantages of my invention will appear in connection with the Vdetailed description thereof and a-re particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, illustrating the application of my invention in one form,-

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the exterior of a portion of a box car showing the opening with my improved closure covering the same, and the regular car door drawn aside. Fig. 2 is a side elevational sectional view of a portion of the interior of a box car drawn on a smaller scale with the regular door drawn aside, and showing a member of my closure swung aside and the other member swung up to entirely free said opening. Fig. 3 is a transverse elevational sectional view of the car taken through the opening, with the lower member in place, but with all the doors raised. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of the parts shown in Fig. 3 drawn on a larger scale with the closure completely sealed. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan sectional view of some of the parts shown in Fig. 4 and drawn on the same scale.

An ordinary box car 10 is shown in the drawings, having a floor 11, a roof 12, and walls, of which wall 13 alone is shown, and which wall has an opening 42 fitted with jamb posts 14 and a j amb header or lintel 15. The usual sliding door 16 with which most box cars are equipped is shown in Figs. 1, 4 and 5, andy is also used in conjunction with my improved closure.

My closure, as indicated in the drawings, comprises an upper member and a lower member. The lower member covers about Speeication of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 8, 1918.

Serial No. 44,193.

two-thirds of the openingand consists of a rectangular frame 17, the stiles 18 and 19 of which are of T-shaped cross section and fit up against the jamb posts 14, as best shown in Fig. 5. The upper rail 20 of this frame is Z-shaped in cross section and the lower rail 21 is L- shaped, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Frame 17 is hinged on stile 19 to one of posts 14 by hinges 22 and swings in wardly into the car to lie flat against wall 13, as shown in Fig. 2. A folding door comprising two or more leaves 23 and 24 is made to cover the aperture formed by frame 17 Leaves 23 and 24 each comprise a single panel 25 in a frame constituting stiles 26 and rails 27. Leaf 23 is hinged at 28 to the rail 20 of frame 17, and also to the leaf 24 at 29. Both leaves23 and 24 are made fast to the frame 17 bv latches 30 and catches 31, and leaf 24 may be locked to said frame b means of a hasp 32 and staple 33. Leaf 24 is first. swung out, and both leaves 23 and 24 may be swung up and outwardly, as indicated in Fig. 3, and held in place by hooking on a hook 34. fast in the rail 20 of frame 17.

The upper member of my closure comprises a single panel door 35 consisting of stiles 36 and rails 37, rabbeted to fitup against jamb posts 14, side plate 15 and the rail 20 of frame 17 as clearly shown in Fig. 4. It is hinged at 38 to said side plate 15 of said box car so as to swing upward within the box car where it may be held in place with a hook 39 attached to the under part of roof 12, as shown in Fig. 3. When said member is closed it may be locked to frame 17 by means of a hasp 40 and staple 41. It will be noted that the construction of the doors and frame comprising my closure are' of such nature that all joints, excepting the floor joint, are lapped and that the whole closure is perfectly smooth on the inside, leaving hardly any place for the material contained therein to lodge and be shaken out when the car is used for other purposes.

The use of my closure is obvious. lVhen the car is to be used for grain or the like, frame 17 is swung Closed and leaves 23 and 24 are made fast thereto, and the door 35 is swung up and held in place by hook 39. Grain may now be loaded into the car through the opening normally closed by door 35, and when the car is full door 35 is closed and fastened and the sliding door 16 slid in place and secured to cover the whole closure and protect it from external misuse. In\I f moved leaf 23 is also made-loose and 'the two unloading the grain, leaf 24 is rst unfastened, and when the grain is sufficiently releaves secured in position, as shown in Fig. 3. When the car is to be-used`for furniture, vehicles or the like the doors are swung back andup, asshown 'in1 Fig. 2, and the regular sliding door 16 is alone used to close the opening.

The advantages of my invention are manifest," closure is very simple and. can be easily and' cheaply constructed. It is easily operated to perform its funetions,. and embodies sueh features as aremost desirable in this form of device.V

I claim: Y

1f; In combination w-ithtlie opening of a box-car, a door frame covering the lower part ofsaidl opening hinged'to the jamb post and adapted to swing inwardly and lie flat against the wall of the Car, and a pair of door. leaves. hinged to eachother and tothe top. 0f the frame and adapted to swing outwardly for emptying the ear.

In/eoinbination with the opening` of a box-car, a door frame covering the; lower part of vsaid opening hinged to the j amb post and adapted to swing inwardly and'lie flatA againstithje wall ofthe rar, a pair of door leaves hinged to each other and to the topi ofthe frame and adapted to swing outwardly for emptying the ear, and means permitting.. either the lower or both of said doors to loev swung out. Y

3. In Combination with the opening of a box-ear, a door frame covering the lower partof said opening hinged to the jamb prost and adapted to swing inwardly and lieflat against the wall of the car, a pair of door leaves hingedto eachother and tothe top ofthe frame and adapted t0 swing outwardly for emptying the Car, andmeans associatedv withV the top of said frame for holding both of' saidv doors extending outward at right' angles from said frame.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.'

Y Y Witnesses VERNON It. WHI'TELEY, Hl A. BowMAN.

Copies'of' this patent maybe obtained for ve cents each'yby addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

